THE LIGHT OF FAITH: this is how the Church’s tradition speaks of the great gift brought by Je- sus. In John’s Gospel, Christ says of himself: “I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (Jn 12:46). Saint Paul uses the same image: “God who said ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts” (2 Cor 4:6). The pagan world, which hungered for light, had seen the growth of the cult of the sun god, Sol Invictus, invoked each day at sunrise. Yet though the sun was born anew each morning, it was clearly incapable of casting its light on all of human existence. The sun does not illumine all reality; its rays cannot penetrate to the shadow of death, the place where men’s eyes are closed to its light. “No one — Saint Justin Martyr writes — has ever been ready to die for his faith in the sun”. Conscious of the immense horizon which their faith opened before them, Christians invoked Jesus as the true sun “whose rays bestow life”. To Martha, weeping for the death of her brother Lazarus, Jesus said: “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” (Jn 11:40). Those who be- live, see; they see with a light that illumines their entire journey, for it comes from the risen Christ, the morning star which never sets.
Mary Victrix
Mary Victrix 
I want to read this Encyclical Letter! It seems very interesting. I found so interesting that Pope Francis admited that this Encyclica was written both by Benedict XVI and by himself, that is, Pope Francis. I was able recognize Benedict XVI’s style in this first part. Pope Francis’s part is like his preachings! 🙂
I have found out an article that explained what I meant better than me. I would like to share it.
“In the introduction to the letter “Lumen Fidei” – its Latin title, he confesses that this is not entirely his own work, very much of it, perhaps the greater part, was written by his German predecessor. “These considerations on faith…are meant to supplement what Benedict XVI had written in his encyclical letters on charity and hope”, he said. “He had almost completed a first draft of an encyclical on faith” and “for this I am deeply grateful to him and, as his brother in Christ, I have taken up his fine work and added a few contributions of my own”
“This text was written by the hands of two Popes” and “notwithstanding the differences of style, sensibility and accent, anyone who reads this encyclical will immediately note the substantial continuity of the message of Pope Francis with the teaching of Pope Benedict XVI”, Archbishop Gerhard L. Muller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said at a Vatican press conference, July 5. “But it’s not a patchwork”, he added.”
http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/news/detail/articolo/papa-el-papa-pope-bergoglio-ratzinger-enciclica-26229/